


Fixing Cars and Fixing Hearts

by noahczerns



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-30
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-12 02:18:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4461545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noahczerns/pseuds/noahczerns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adam had started to notice the lingering glances, they were no more than a few seconds but they were certainly more than anyone else appeared to receive from Ronan. The fleeting moments when Ronan’s intensity filled eyes reached his own fuelled the burning fire set ablaze in the pit of his stomach; and he had no idea what to do with this feeling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fixing Cars and Fixing Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> i know Absolutely Nothing about fixing cars so if that bit is entirely inaccurate then i apologise. i tried to keep that bit vague to avoid it lmao

Adam had started to notice the lingering glances, they were no more than a few seconds but they were certainly more than anyone else appeared to receive from Ronan. The fleeting moments when Ronan’s intensity filled eyes reached his own fuelled the burning fire set ablaze in the pit of his stomach; and he had no idea what to do with this feeling.

He’d always been pretty certain about his sexuality, he’d liked girls and that was that. He thought that he’d liked Gansey at one point but he point it down to the fact that he was his first real friend that actually gave a shit about him. And then there was Ronan. But he’d known Ronan for years, why was he only starting to feel this way now? Especially when Ronan hadn’t exactly been the nicest guy to him, as he recalled the time he referred to him and Blue as the “poverty twins”. There was also the other side to Ronan, the side that listened to mice’s heartbeats and cared for his little brother. Ronan’s vulnerability had been hidden under his hard shell exterior for so long and Adam realised, that when he caught those small glimpses of it, he was falling in love with it. 

The piercing sunlight of dawn peeked through the tatted curtains at St. Agnes, hitting Adam directly, causing him to stir. The tasks of attending all 3 of his jobs and doing his homework all in one day loomed over him, a groan escaping his mouth as he remembered each of them. Ronan had recently become accustomed to appearing at his side whilst he was working at the garage which shed some positivity onto the day, but it didn’t change the fact that he’d still having an aching back and sore hands at the end of it and still have to study into the night. He reluctantly shoved the duvet he was previously enveloped in to the end of his bed and felt the chill of the winter morning bite at his skin. The decision of what clothes to wear was quickly made, an old T-shirt and jeans will do, no use ruining any of my semi-decent clothes on work, he thought. 

The first two of his three jobs passed uneventfully, but Adam was relieved he was at least half way done with this seemingly never-ending day. He made his way to his final shift of the day at the garage, which was the only job he didn’t despise, considering he was relatively good at fixing cars. The stench of fuel and oil would have been over powering for most people, but Adam had gotten used to it after being there so often and his nose had ceased to scrunch up in distaste whenever he came through the doors. On arrival he gathered the necessary tools and walked to the car he had been attending to yesterday, and lifted the hood to continue his work. This car was being particularly difficult, as he usually managed to fix them within his shift, but this one just didn’t want to shift. Adam ran his hand through his hair, dishevelled from the wind and all the other times that day he had already messed with the dark blonde chaos on his head, sighing as he prepared for the frustration he was about to endure. 

“Fucking work you piece of shit!” Adam yelled as he chucked the wrench he was holding onto the floor with a clatter. The car’s engine gurgled lifelessly in response whilst Adam steadied himself and received a raised eyebrow from his manager a few feet away. He mumbled an apology and tried to think of a new angle to approach the car from; it felt like he had tried all of them but he knew he couldn’t leave it unfixed for another day. 

“The fuck’s up with you, Parrish? I heard you before I even got in the door.” Ronan said as he strolled through the door towards where Adam was standing, his face twisting into a slight grin when Adam looked up to see the source of the voice. Even though he didn’t technically work there, Adam’s boss had gotten used to seeing Ronan hanging around.   
Adam felt his heart quicken as he caught sight of Ronan’s grin and returned it with a faint smile and said, “I’ve been working on this car since yesterday and the engine still won’t start. I’ve tried everything.”

“A car that Parrish can’t fix? Don’t tell Gansey he might not let you touch the Pig again.”

Adam rolled his eyes. “Funny. If I can’t get this fixed it these last two days will have been a waste because I won’t get paid for it.” He let out an exasperated sigh. 

“Well shit. We better fix it then.” 

“We?” Adam raised a questioning eyebrow and attempted a smirk which in reality ended up looking like a lopsided smile as he felt Ronan’s gaze on his, causing his heart to beat even faster than before. It’s just Ronan, he told himself, why is my heart going into fucking overdrive? 

“Yeah, we. Hand me that spanner before I change my mind.” He held out his hand and Adam quickly gave it to him. Ronan peered into the open hood of the car and began rummaging around searching for the problem and Adam followed his gaze, their shoulders millimetres apart. 

“What are you going to do then? I didn’t think you knew anything about fixing cars.” Adam queried, he didn’t want to get fired for letting his inexperienced friend fuck around with the cars. Attractive yes, but still inexperienced. 

“Parrish, I am offended. Who said I know nothing about fixing cars?” Ronan’s hands were already beginning to resemble Adam’s, covered in oil and grime. 

“Well I’ve never seen you actually fix one before. If you know so much why wouldn’t Gansey ask you instead of me to fix the Pig?” 

“You’re more careful than me.” Adam felt his heart stop for a second at this, Ronan hardly said anything positive about anyone. “Although that’s questionable seeing as you thrashed that wrench around today. Anyway, you know what Gansey’s like with that fucking car.” Ronan said this with gritted teeth, discovering that Adam was right, the car was a piece of work. “Hold that, quick.” He pointed to a pipe that seemed to be slowly leaking oil, barely noticeable if you weren’t looking. Adam reached his hand in and folded his fingers around the leakage. 

This revoked a reaction in the pipe, and the oil was leaking slightly further down and Ronan rushed to cover it with his own hand, brushing Adam’s outstretched arm as he did so. Adam felt all the hairs in his arms raise, his skin prickly and warm where Ronan’s was a moment ago. He suddenly realised he had been staring in surprise and dragged himself back to reality and asked hastily: “What the hell did you do?!” 

“There are a blockage so I removed it and I don’t think it liked it…” 

“A blockage? How did I miss that?” The oil was leaking rather rapidly over both of the boys’ hands. “Fuck.” Adam groaned under his breath, it didn’t seem like it would stop anytime soon. 

“God there’s so much... We’ll just have to wait until it stops I guess.” Ronan said quizzically, he seemed to be asking for permission, in a round-a-bout way, which struck Adam as odd. Ronan Lynch asked no one for permission. 

“I think that’s the only think we can do.” 

After 10 minutes of sighs and variations of “Jesus how much oil can one car have,” the seeping of the black liquid stopped. Slowly removing his hands from the car to make sure it actually had stopped, Ronan said, quite excitedly and with a sly smile, “Go on, try the engine again,” Adam took his hands off the pipe and strolled round to the driver’s side. He wiped his hands on his worn jeans and turned the ignition. It took a few turns, but eventually the engine roared into life. 

“Oh my God! Finally! Yes!” a smile burst across Adam’s face as he rushed to where Ronan was standing and grabbed him into a hug before his thoughts got the better of him. He felt Ronan tense up at first, but after hearing a few muffled “thank you”s he relaxed and put his own arms around Adam. 

Adam was slightly small than Ronan so, since the hug was so abrupt, he received a face full of T-shirt. He was, in all honestly, shocked that Ronan hadn’t immediately pushed him away. Ronan wasn’t exactly known for public affection, or any affection, even if it was only a hug. Was that the sound of Ronan’s heartbeat pounding furiously, or merely his own? He couldn’t tell. He didn’t know if he wanted to be able to tell. He only wanted to stay as this, feeling Ronan’s skin on his own. He breathed, and only now did he realise he had been holding his breath. The scent of Ronan encompassed him, his cologne, his natural-Ronan-smell, the slightly strange washing powder that was on his clothes. 

“You want to let go yet, Parrish?” Ronan said, not half as fierce as he usually sounded. And if Adam was right, somewhat nervous. 

“Do you want me to?” Adam replied, sounding more confident than he felt. 

Ronan sighed, “No, not really.” Adam felt Ronan’s lips brush the top of his head. Today wasn’t so bad, after all, he thought.


End file.
